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I read in my local paper today that the once mighty Woodies are close to financial collapse.
This is my team, and the one where I used to watch Matthew Burke play. How this all happened when they own their own grounds and owned their own club perhaps reflects the alarming lack of managerial talent in rugby union administration.
The story was released on the morning of 25 February 2009. The Sydney Morning Herald chose to run another article that day about how Sydney Boys High School would no longer play rugby in the private school system. On the 26th of February 2009, The Roar also ran a story about the article in the SMH pertaining to SHS.
So what does this say about the Shute Shield, where a club like Eastwood is near collapse and it’s not reported or commented on? If Eastwood is in trouble, what about the other Shute clubs, the Two Blues, Southern Districts etc?
Moreover what does it say about the knowledge and tradition of the media in Sydney. Afterall it’s not that long ago the Woodies got over 30,000 to grand finals, a tad more than the 6,000 by Uni last year.
But does anyone on this site know what an asset Eastwood has in that it owns its own grounds, club house and has facilities to equal ANY academy or club in Australia. But they are all held in trust, you see the late T.G. Millner left the facilities as long as they where used for rugby.
If they are stopped being used for Rugby at the level Eastwood play, then the trustee has instruction to sell the facilities and distribute the funds to the Millner family.
Many questions spring to mind, but the lossof Eastwood would be an absolute catastrophe for rugby with the aforementioned facilities, one of the few well run district competitions.
In my opinion, if Eastwood go under it could be the beginning of the end for other Shute Shield teams and I wonder then about the impact on park rugby.
I suggest some of the funding from the media deals go to assisting the Shute teams and I am amazed that SHS stops playing ranks as a major story ahead of the near collapse of the Eastwood District Rugby Club.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.